Seocho restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest with 5-min wait

A rare find near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, where good restaurants aren't easy to come by

I was at an expo at Yangjae aT Center last time and looked up what to eat afterward, and honestly there aren't that many restaurants near Yangjae Citizens' Forest 😭 But even among the few options, there was one that looked genuinely delicious hahahaha. Let me introduce Seonbawi Memil Jangteo, a restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest Station!

• 📍Location: 15-11 Gangnam-daero 18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul (Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch)
• ⏰Hours: Daily 09:00-21:00

There's a sign that reads "pure buckwheat, coated in perilla oil," and a lot of people were eating the perilla oil buckwheat noodles! Turns out this is actually the franchise version of a restaurant that regulars near Gwacheon Seoul Grand Park and Seonbawi Station already knew well — rebranded as Seonbawi Memil Jangteo. No wonder customers kept streaming in without a break 👣…

How long is the wait on a Saturday at 2pm?

As expected of a place with a real waiting line, Catch Table is a must! I got there around 1:55pm on a Saturday, right around when the Yangjae-dong lunch peak was winding down, so I only waited 5 minutes ✌️

Thinking of the perilla oil noodles as made with a mother's care, it makes me want to come back next time just for the perilla oil buckwheat noodles.

Seating and table turnover

There weren't that many tables, but watching how fast people ate, the turnover seemed really good. Most people were having the perilla oil buckwheat noodles, and they finished really quickly hahahaha

Paper cups and sauces are set on every table, and since we were at a 2-person table and the bowls were so big, the staff temporarily moved some of them elsewhere.

The aprons are disposable, which felt really clean and nice ✨ Sometimes reusable ones look fine but you spot stains on them, which makes me more worried, so this was a relief ㅠㅠ

A side dish spread with mul kimchi (water kimchi) alongside the noodle soup

Kalguksu usually comes with a lot of geotjeori (fresh cabbage kimchi), so I was surprised to see this water kimchi-style side instead — I hadn't seen that before hahahaha. But it paired so perfectly that I was honestly impressed 😍

They gave us what seemed like a bowl for discarded clam shells, and I was startled by how big it was. But it turned out to be exactly the right size — it got completely filled up… I'll show you below 🐽

Buckwheat clam kalguksu for two and king dumplings

We ordered buckwheat clam kalguksu for 2 and king dumplings!

The portion was massive, and it definitely felt tight on a 2-person table hahahaha

Have you ever seen a clam kalguksu with this many clams packed in? Even accounting for it being a 2-person serving, the amount was huge, and my friend and I just kept marveling over it 👏

How was the 100% buckwheat noodle?

This was my first time having kalguksu made with buckwheat, so I was curious but honestly a bit nervous too — but is this the power of 100% buckwheat content at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo, a restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest? It was totally chewy and, if anything, even more savory ㅠㅠㅠ I never knew buckwheat and kalguksu could pair so well.

There were so many clams that the noodles were sitting underneath. Pull the noodles out early to enjoy them at their best!!

King dumplings at ₩8,000 — more than just a side dish

The king dumplings had a filling that was packed full, and that was the real kicker. Four come out, and I was already full after just two… These are hearty enough to count as a meal on their own rather than a side, and at only ₩8,000, I'd definitely order them if I were you 🥟

After we finished eating, the clam shells we'd piled up filled that big bowl right to the top hahahaha. Honestly, if they hadn't given us a bowl that size, we'd have had nowhere to put them all. Imagine a place being this generous with clams… Since it's not too far from either my home or my office, next time I'm torn between having this again or trying the perilla oil buckwheat noodles 🤔

Receipt review drink service and buckwheat tea

Also, if you write a receipt review, you get 1 free canned drink per table, so be sure to take part and grab your free drink 💨

True to a buckwheat specialty restaurant, there's buckwheat tea available separately, and it's self-serve, so don't miss out on it 🍵

The restroom is on the 1st floor and it's really clean! Though the right stall is smaller than the left, so if the left one is open, I'd recommend using that one 🙂↕️

Also a good spot for group gatherings near Yangjae Citizens' Forest

There's a staircase leading up to the 2nd floor, which seats 50 and is available for group reservations and private rental — so if you're looking for a group dining spot near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, Seonbawi Memil Jangteo could be a great option! I was starving after the expo, and this was my review of a satisfying meal of standout buckwheat clam kalguksu and king dumplings at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo ♥